Pick three/With three top contenders, league race is wide open

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Aug 27, 2000

Parity can be a good thing.

It brought us one of the best Super Bowls ever last year, and one of the NFL's most unexpected champions.

But parity can also be a tricky thing. It worked for the Monkees but not the Jackson 5.

Will it work for the Mountain West Conference? Or would the conference, about to enter its second season, be better served if one team dominated, got ranked in the top 10 and made the promised land - a Bowl Championship Series game?

You want one Michael or several Jermaines? Hard to say. But there was nothing good about not having even one team ranked in the top 25 in 1999.

Last season, the Mountain West got Jermaines. Three teams (Utah, Colorado State, Brigham Young) tied for the conference's inaugural title with 5-2 records. Wyoming came one win from making it four.

Did it get the Mountain West any attention? No. The conference is still trying to shed its "former WAC" label.

The results caught at least one coach, Air Force's Fisher DeBerry, by surprise.

"I didn't think our conference champion could have two losses, but they made a believer out of me," DeBerry said.

Expect more of the same this season. Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson said that while a single standout team would give the conference national attention, parity might be the best thing early on. Blowouts aren't good for TV ratings.

"It's probably what we need right now," Thompson said. "We need all eight members to be competitive."

LaVell Edwards isn't certain.

"I'm not really sure where I stand on this," said the BYU coach, who will be retiring at the end of the season. "One team (dominating) or the fact that we're balanced and beating up on one another."

Competition makes Saturdays dramatic. Coaches will be rooting for something else too - Mountain West teams knocking off big programs.

"When Air Force beats Notre Dame, that's the best way to get recognition," said Ted Tollner, San Diego State coach.

Whether that happens or not, you can't fault the Mountain West for trying. Besides Air Force at Notre Dame, David-and-Goliath matchups (cynics call them "money games") this year include: BYU vs. preseason No. 2 Florida State in the Pigskin Classic Aug. 26; Arizona State at San Diego State Aug. 31; Arizona at Utah Sept. 1; Wyoming at Texas A&M Sept. 9 and Auburn Sept. 2; UNLV at No. 18 Ole Miss Oct. 28; Colorado State at Arizona State Sept. 16.

An impressive slate. But "more than just playing them, we've got to win some," Edwards said.

Or risk being Tito.

Conference Q&A

1. Who will win the conference?

Utah. The Utes return 16 starters, including preseason player of the year Steve Smith, standout receiver and punt returner.

Two offensive linemen, a linebacker and a defensive back are preseason all-conference picks. T.D. Croshaw and Darnell Arceneaux provide a two-headed monster at quarterback. Plus, their big games are in Salt Lake: Colorado State Oct. 21, BYU Nov. 24.

Finding a replacement for Mike Anderson at running back is a primary concern. "That's a big hole to fill," Utes offensive coordinator Tommy Lee said. Figure on transfers Dameon Hunter and Adam Tate.

2. Who's running the show?

Good question for a few teams, among them Brigham Young, Quarterback U. Sophomore Bret Engemann got the starting nod against Florida State, but only after a tight battle with juniors Charlie Peterson and Brandon Doman. Utah probably won't choose between Arceneaux, the improvisor, and Croshaw, the passer. New Mexico named Jeremy Denson its starter in late summer after a prolonged battle with Rudy Caamano. Both are sophomores and junior college transfers. Sean Stein, who threw for 1,584 yards (11 TDs, nine INTs) left the team after spring football when he was demoted to third string.

3. Canasta, anyone?

Six of eight Mountain West coaches are 60 or older. Air Force's Fisher DeBerry is 62, BYU's LaVell Edwards is 69, Colorado State's Sonny Lubick is 63, San Diego State's Ted Tollner is 60, UNLV's John Robinson is 65, Utah's Ron McBride is 60. Wyoming's Vic Koenning, 40, and New Mexico's Rocky Long, 50, are the youngsters. Not that it seems to matter much to school administrators. McBride, with two years left on his old contract, just signed a new four-year deal. DeBerry's contract with the academy runs through 2005 (he'll be 67). So does Lubick's. Edwards, before he announced his retirement by season's end, had signed a five-year extension last year.

4. Who the heck is THAT?

His name's Jason Thomas, and he's one of a stable of Division I transfers that will make UNLV the conference spoiler and vastly improve its offense, worst in the conference last year.

Thomas, the likely starting quarterback, left Southern Cal to follow Robinson, who says: "He's 6-4, 230 pounds, about seven percent body fat. He's fast, elusive, handsome." Thomas will be handing off to more new faces joining tailback Jeremi Rudolph in the backfield. Other major-school transfers are Kevin Brown, who gained 1,004 yards for Washington State in 1998, Florida State's Raymont Skaggs and Washington's Jabari Johnson.